Hopper support structure



May 5, 197 F. J. NEssLmeEr E L I HOPPER SUPPORT STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed May 9. 1968 INVENTOR 5: 44 mm? CT EORGMA/V FH/ 72 d. N555; m/ EABY q ATTOR NEYS.

y 1970 F. J. NEISSLINGER ETAL HOPPER SUPPORT S TRUCTURE Filed May 9.1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fuzyb. 3/ I J/ 7 zw ml ATTORN EYS.

May 5, 1970 I F. J. NESSLINGER ET AL 3,510,020

HOPPER SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed May 9. 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 T113. ET. ,2

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Int. Cl. B65g 47/00 US. Cl. 214-703 9 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hopper is movable vertically in a hoisttower to and from different positions for receiving material from acable supported bucket and is releasably secured to tower posts oruprights in said positions by clamps carried on mounts slidablyadjustable in relation to the hopper whereby a hopper of given depth andwidth may be employed effectively in towers of different plandimensions.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our application Ser. No.524,803, filed Feb. 3, 1966, Pat. No. 3,373,887, and pending applicationSer. No. 621,310, filed Mar. 7, 1967, which is a continuation-in-part ofsaid Ser. No. 524,803.

Known apparatus for a similar purpose has included a hopper which may bereleasably secured at different operative positions vertically along askeleton type tower and a bucket which, after loading, can be hoistedinto position for discharging its contents into the hopper. However, insuch apparatus, no provision is disclosed for using a hopper of a givenor standard size in towers of different dimensions in plan. Accordingly,an object of the present invention has been to provide a hopper ofstandard depth and width, for example, which can readily be installedand effectively used in hoisting towers of conventional or othersuitable skeleton type and of different dimensions in depth and width.

In general, an embodiment of our invention includes a hopper and bucketassembly, laterally extendable yokes slidably mounted on the hopper foradjustment toward and from posts of a hoist tower, arms mounted on saidyokes to slide toward and from end positions thereon in a path normal tothat of said yokes, clamps on said arms for releasable operative hoppersupporting engagement with said posts when the arms are in one of saidend positions, means for releasably securing said yokes in extended andretracted positions on the hopper, and means for releasably securingsaid arms in said end positions on said yokes.

Other objects and distinctive features of our invention 7 not abovereferred to will appear from the following description and claims andfrom the accompanying drawings wherein we have shown a preferredembodiment of our invention.

, In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view partly in horizontal section of a bucket andhopper assembly (left hand side) with the parts shown in their relativepositions when the hopper is in operative load receiving condition in atower of relatively narrow width (full lines) and in a wider tower(dotted lines);

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 (right hand side) showing thecorresponding parts in their relative positions when the hopper isreleasably secured to travel with the bucket for vertical repositioningin the tower;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of FIG.

6 showing the hopper releasably secured to the tower in load receivingposition;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in vertical section from the line4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end view with parts broken away to show the open ends ofguide tubes arranged along inner surfaces of the front and rear walls ofthe hopper for receiving the spaced legs of slidably adjustable yokeswhich carry clamp supporting arms;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation of a hopper with parts broken away showingthe arrangement of guide tubes and yokes as seen in FIGS. 1, 5 and 7;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view showing in perspective a yoke with legswithdrawn from the guide tubes and an end portion of a clamp carryingarm withdrawn clear of parallel guides mounted on the yoke.

Referring to the drawings, apparatus embodying the present invention isadvantageously mounted to operate in quadrangular skeleton type towersof different plan dimensions represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 in part by thelaterally spaced front posts 11 and 11' respectively. A hopper 12 isreleasably secured to said posts at desired positions in the tower byclamps 13 and 14. A frame 17 of conventional or other appropriateconstruction is raised and lowered in known manner by a cable andhoisting mechanism not shown, said frame carrying a bucket 20 fordelivering concrete or the like into the open upper end of the hopper.

Provision may be made for moving hopper 12 vertically to and from anydesired level or operative load receiving position in the tower, whereit is conveniently releasably secured by said clamps 13, FIG. 3, carriedat the outer ends of arms 31 on upper yokes 50 and by clamps 14 carriedat the outer ends by arms 33 on lower yokes 70, said yokes being axiallyslidable horizontally in hopper 12, FIG. 6. Means are also provided atthe inner ends of said arms 33 for releasably coupling hopper 12 to beraised or lowered in the tower along with the frame, said arms 33, FIGS.2 and 4, being axially slidable between end positions on guides 34carried by yokes 70 in a manner to be described in more detail.

As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the axially slidable lower arms 33 are inextended position, or such as to permit clamps 14 at their outer ends tobe closed around posts 11. Supplementary or upper arms 31, FIG. 3, carryclamps 13 which, along with clamps 14 on arms 33, normally supporthopper 12 in operative position on the tower and which alone supportsaid hopper while lower arms 33 are disconnected from said posts, FIG.2, and are being moved to and from coupling relation to the frame andwhile yokes 70, FIGS. 6 and 7 are being axially positioned to facilitatesuch connection or to bring clamps 14 into operative clamping relationto the tower posts, FIG. 1.

In operation, when moving the hopper to a different level in a towerwherein the horizontal distance between the hopper supporting posts isgreater than the width of the hopper, clamps 13 on arms 31 remainsecured to posts 11 while clamps 14 on arms 33 are loosened from saidposts; yokes 70 are moved axially inwardly to retracted position, solidlines, FIG. 1, and said arms 33 are moved rearwardly in guides 34 tobring their inner ends into the coupling position, FIG. 2, where saidends overlap plates 35 advantageously welded to outer upright edges ofbuttress plates 38 forming part of the bucket carrying frame 17 andhaving pin receiving holes 37. To secure arms 33 to frame 17, couplingpins 39 are pushed through holes 40 in said arms 33 and into holes 37horizontally coaxial therewith in plates 35. This arrangement in effectreleasably locks hopper 12 to the frame so that after said hopper isfreed from the posts [1 it is supportedby the cable, so that when saidframe is raised or lowered thereby, said hopper is raised ,or

:lamps 13 on supplementary arms 31 are closed around posts 11 to supportthe hopper while it is being un- :oupled from the frame and beingconnected to posts 11' by clamps 14. To free the frame and bucket fromthe hopper when the hopper reaches this load receiving position,coupling pins 39 are withdrawn from holes 37 and 40; pins 51 are removedfrom their FIG. 2 position; and arms 33 are moved axially outwardly sothat their inner ends disengage plates 35; pins 51 are placed, as seenin FIG. 1; yokes 70 are moved laterally to extended position where theyare releasably secured by pins 59; and clamps 14 at their outer ends areclosed around posts 11 with the hopper in load receiving condition asseen in FIG. 1.

To provide the above noted lateral adjustment of the slidable carriersas arms 33 of clamps 14 to accommodate a hopper of standard size to atower which is wider than the hopper, the slidable yokes 70 comprisepairs of spaced parallel legs shown as rectangular tubes 52, each pairthereof being connected at their outer ends by a cross plate 53, FIG. 7.Inner end portions of said legs are mounted to slide horizontally inparallel guide tubes 54 provided on the insides of the front and rearwalls of hopper 12, thereby permitting lateral adjustment of arm guides34, lower arms 33 slidable thereon and clamps 14 to and from the dottedline or extended position of yokes 70 as seen in FIG. 1.

A similar arrangement is provided for supporting upper arms 31 which,with clamps 13, are slidably adjustable on yokes 50, FIGS. 3 and 6, tobring said clamps 13 into and out of clamping position in relation tothe hopper supporting posts 11, 11, or 11', 11'.

As seen in FIG. 7, legs 52 of lower yokes 70 have sets of verticallycoaxial holes 57 and 58 in their top and bottom walls positioned toreceive pins 59 which also extend through coaxial holes in lowerbrackets 60 and in upper brackets 60' on the end walls of the hopper toreleasably retain said yokes in one of different extended positionsdetermined by the spacing between the hopper supporting posts of thetower in which the hopper is to be installed and used. Upper yokes 50,i.e. those which carry clamps 13, comprise parts having the sameconstruction and mode of operation as those just above described inconnection with yokes 70.

Where, for example, the tower posts are spaced apart laterally to anextent greater than the width of the hopper 12, as 11', 11, FIGS. 1 and2, yokes 70 are extended laterally so that clamps 14 may be secured tosaid uprights 11'. Also, where the front to rear dimension of the toweris such that a space remains between the plane of the front wall of thehopper and the plane of hopper supporting uprights 11 or 11, arms 31 and33 are extended forwardly to an extent such that coupling pins, as 51,can be engaged in holes 45 in guides 34 and holes in lugs on said arms,for example, when they come into coaxial vertical alinement, FIGS. 3 and4.

This arrangement permits use of a standard depth hopper in quadrangulartowers having different dimensions in depth, assuming that appropriatehorizontal spacing is provided between the holes 45 in the guides and 44in the lugs which receive pins 51. Accordingly, arms 31 and 33 areprovided with horizontally spaced lugs 43, 43' and 43", FIG. 4, havingholes 44 which, when said arms are in.their clamping positions, FIG. 1,are vertically coaxial with similar holes 45, FIG. 7, in guides 34, andreceive pins 51. Said arms 33 are also conveniently held in said FIG. 2coupling position by the headed coupling pins 51 extending through theappropriate holes in said lugs 43 when hopper 12 is coupled "to thebucket frame.

As seen in FIG. 7, spacers 62 are provided on the end wall outer facesof hopper 12 to limit the inward movement of lower yokes 70, i.e. toleave a narrow gap between cross plates 53 and the hopper wall therebyto facilitate withdrawal of the yokes from retracted position in theguide tubes 54. Said tubes are conveniently formed bywelding'longitudinal edges of suitable channels to inner surfaces ofopposed wall portions of the hopper, as the front Wall 1201 and rearwall 12b.

It is noted, FIG. 3, that arms 31 carry clamps 13 for releasableconnection with front posts 11,11, or 11', 11 and that, for suchpurpose, said arms 31 are slidably mounted on upper yokes 50 havingcross plates 53, FIG. 3, in a manner similar to that of the mounting ofarms 33 on lower yokes 70 having cross plates 53. Also, arms 31 areslidable to and from extended positions where they are convenientlyreleasably retained by pins 51, cooperating with coaxial holes in lugs43, 43' and 43" and in guides 32. However, in the embodiment shows, onlythe arms 33 are equipped for coupling With the bucket frame; and arms 31and clamps 13 serve to support the hopper, especially during thechangeover to and from coupling of arms 33 with said frame.

As seen in FIG. 3, fixed clamp parts as 13', 14' are secured to arms 31and 33, respectively, and cooperate with the detachable clamps 13, 14 toreleasably secure said arms and hence their corresponding yokes to theposts 11, 11.

In summary, when a hopper of the type above described is in loadreceiving condition in a tower having the space between its hoppersupporting posts, as 11, 11', FIG. 1, greater than the width of thehopper, yokes 50 and 70 are both in laterally extended position andclamps 13 and 14 are releasably secured to said posts. However, whenhopper 12 is coupled to the bucket supporting frame 17 during verticalrepositioning in the tower, clamps 13 and 14 are free from said posts;yokes 70 are releasably secured in retracted position on the hopper bypins 59; and arms 33 thereon are secured in position with their innerends in coupling engagement with said frame by pins 51. It thus appearsthat a single bucket-hopper assembly may advantageously be employed inmaterial handling towers of different plan dimensions, whereas, in knownapparatus, the choice may necessarily lie between using a tower ofinappropriate plan dimensions to fit a given hopper, or incurring thesubstantial expense of a hopper of special plan dimensions to conform tospecial plan dimensions of a tower.

The described apparatus also functions to advantage where the front torear dimension of the tower is such as to leave a substantial spacebetween the plane of the hopper supporting posts, as 11', 11 and theplane of the front wall, as 12a of the hopper. In such case, the arms31, 33 slidably mounted on yokes 50, 70, are extended to permitoperative engagement of clamps 13 and 14 with posts 11, 11' or 11, 11,as the case may be. ,Said arms are also releasably secured in suchextended positions by pins 51.

It is noted that eifective additional rigidity of the structure isprovided by said pins 59 which releasably secure yokes 50, 70 to thehopper, and by said pins 51 which releasably secure arms 31, 33 to theguides on their respective yokes when said arms are in extendedcondition and releasably secure arms 33 to yokes 70 when arms 33 arecoupled to the bucket frame. The above described provision for axiallyadjusting and securing arms 31, 33 on the yokes also appliesadvantageously where i 16 Width of the space between posts 11, 11 issuch as to require no lateral extension of said yokes to effectivelyretain clamps 13, 14 in post engaging position.

We claim:

1. Material handling apparatus comprising: a tower with a plurality ofvertical posts, a bucket and a supporting frame therefor, means forraising and lowering said frame in said tower, a hopper releasablysupported on posts of said tower and movable vertically along With saidframe to and from different operative positions therein, and means forreleasably securing the hopper in said operative positions, theimprovement comprising clamp carrying yokes supported on said hopper,clamps mounted on said yokes, axially adjustable arms slidably mountedon said yokes, means mounting said clamps at the outer ends of said armsin position to engage said tower posts which are laterally spaceddifferent distances apart, said arms being adjustable longitudinally onsaid yokes to different post-engaging positions depending on the extentor spacing between the hopper and the planes of the posts which supportthe hopper in load-receiving position, said yokes being slidablyadjustable laterally on the hopper to move said clamps toward and fromoperative relation to the hopper-supporting posts.

2. Material handling apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein two setsof yokes are supported on the hopper, said arms on one of said sets ofyokes being slidable in one direction to operatively connect the hopperwith the frame for vertical movement therewith and in the oppositedirection to disengage the frame and to bring the clamps into positionto operatively engage said hoppersupporting posts of the tower.

3. Material handling apparatus according to claim 2 and wherein saidarms on the other of said yokes are axially adjustable to bring theclamps thereon into and out of operative post engaging position tosupport the hopper while the clamps on said one set of yokes aredisengaged from said posts.

4. Material handling apparatus according to claim 2 and wherein meansare provided for releasably securing said arms in their respective endpositions on said yokes and for releasably securing said yokes in theirrespective end positions on the hopper.

5. Material handling apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein saidhopper includes guide channels open at their outer ends and in whichsaid yokes are slidably engaged.

6. Material handling apparatus according to claim 2 and wherein armsupporting guides are mounted on said yokes, and means are provided forreleasably securing 6 said arms in different axial positions in relationto said supporting guides.

7. Material handling apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein saidyokes include spaced parallel legs; and parallel guide tubes which openat their outer ends through opposed end walls of the hopper arepositioned Within said hopper on interior portions of opposed front .andrear walls thereof, inner end portions of said legs of the yokes beingslidably telescoped in said guide tubes.

8. Material handling apparatus which provides an open top hopper havingfront and rear walls and opposed end walls and being releasably andadjustably supported on vertical posts of a skeleton hoisting tower toreceive material discharged from a vertically movable bucket, andwherein the improvement comprises a set of clampcarrying yokes, eachyoke including parallel legs joined at their outer ends by a connectorplate, a set of leg receiving guide tubes each having an open endexposed through one of said end walls one of said tubes being positionedon said front wall and the other on said rear wall, said yokes beingmounted with inner end portions of said legs axially slidable in saidguide tubes, and clamping means mounted on said connector plates andlaterally adjustable therewith toward and from operative clampingposition in relation to said vertical posts of the tower.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 and wherein a second set of guidetubes is positioned on said front and rear Walls of the hopper, and asecond set of yokes having clamp carrying connector plates is mountedwith inner end portions of the legs thereof axially slidable in saidsecond set of guide tubes, clamping means carried on the connectorplates of said second set of yokes and arranged and adapted to supportthe hopper on said posts when the clamping means on the first set ofyokes are released therefrom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,168,947 1/1916 Levalley 2l47041,210,748 1/1917 Wylie 214-707 FOREIGN PATENTS 163,117 4/ 1958 Sweden.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner R. B. JOHNSON, Assistant ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R. 193--15; 214-17

